We are undertaking a number of studies to investigate the relative efficacy of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and capsaicin in osteoarthritis and neuropathic pain and to identify predictors of response.

These studies include:

  • Conventional meta-analyses of placebo-controlled RCTs comparing treatment and placebo and overall treatment effects.
  • Bayesian network meta-analysis comparing treatments via placebo.
  • Individual Patient Data (IPD) meta-analysis to examine predictors of response.
  • A pilot n-of-1 trial series to examine treatment effects, patient preferences, and predictors of response.
Topical Cream
Persson M, Stocks J, Walsh D, Doherty M, Zhang W. The relative efficacy of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and capsaicin in osteoarthritis: a network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2018 Dec 1;26(12):1575–82. [PubMed] [PDF]
Monica S M Persson, Joanne Stocks, Gyula Varadi, Mohammad Hashem Hashempur, Marienke van Middelkoop, Sita Bierma-Zeinstra, David A Walsh, Michael Doherty, Weiya Zhang, Predicting response to topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in osteoarthritis: an individual patient data meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, Rheumatology, Volume 59, Issue 9, September 2020, Pages 2207–2216, https://doi.org/10.1093//keaa113 [PDF]

Monica S M Persson, Joanne Stocks, Aliya Sarmanova, Gwen Fernandes, David A Walsh, Michael Doherty, Weiya Zhang, Individual responses to topical ibuprofen gel or capsaicin cream for painful knee osteoarthritis: a series of n-of-1 trials, Rheumatology, Volume 60, Issue 5, May 2021, Pages 2231–2237, https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keaa561 [PDF]

Selected Conference Abstracts

EULAR Conference 2019

Persson M, Stocks J, Sarmanova A, Fernandes G, Varadi G, Hashempur MH, Haselen Rv, Walsh D, Doherty M, Zhang W. The Relative Efficacy Of Topical Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs And Capsaicin In Osteoarthritis: Moving From Average Treatment Effects To Individual Treatment Preferences Annals Of The Rheumatic Diseases 2019;78:513-514.